WIX Archives
Re: Surviving Me-163 Komets
Posted by Tom E on Sat Sep 14, 2002 10:05:08 PM
In reply top Re: Surviving Me-163 Komets posted by Ron Henry on Fri Sep 13, 2002 01:52:25 PM
: AIUI, the Me163s brought back to England for evaluation we
: re banned from powered flying on grounds of safety, of cou
: rse. However, there seems to be substantial evidence that
: at least one of them flew at least once as a glider. I
: believe that its tug was a Spitfire ! I'm sure that many y
: ears ago, I read a letter in a flying magazine by a guy wh
: o had witnessed this event.
:
Test Pilot Eric "winkle" Brown was the test pilot on it's one test flight and it was indeed twoed behind a Spitfire.
The work was done in conjunction with the Miles M50 supersonic test aircraft programe(which Brown was a designated pilot for) because like the Komet it was to have a skid undercarridge.
This is all mentioned in Brown's Book Warplanes of the Luftwaffe. Also in there is a memorable encounter with Dr Walter where it was demonstrated in no uncertain terms why the RAF would never sanction powered flights.
regards
Tom